Beginning in 2016, EBA partnered with Virginia’s Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) to implement a statewide continuum of evidence-based services. Service Coordination began January 1, 2017, to support the Commonwealth’s juvenile justice transformation by promoting effective community-based services, coordination of care, and support for committed youth through alternative placements and re-entry services.
Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice Reform
Case Study
Building a Statewide Continuum of Care for Justice-Involved Youth in Virginia
The Goal
Expand Community-based Services for Youth
The transformation included the REDUCE, REFORM, AND REPLACE framework. After the closing of a large and dated juvenile correctional facility, DJJ re-invested funds to expand community-based services for youth with the following goals:
- Build a statewide continuum of services: Improve accessibility to an array of services for all regions, provide more evidence-based services (and monitor fidelity), provide alternatives to placement options, and develop efficient processes and monitor the effectiveness of services.
- Service availability: Ensure the availability of basic services in every region and fill service gaps, including the implementation of Evidence-Based Programs (EBPs) and addressing No “Justice by Geography”.
- Family inclusion and family engagement: Reduce barriers to include language and transportation and focus on models that support the family as well as the youth.
Process and Outcomes
Modernizing Virginia’s Juvenile Justice System
From 2017–2025, the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) partnered with EBA to build and manage a statewide continuum of community-based services.
EBA’s Role in System Reform
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Served the northern, central, and western regions (2017–2023), transitioning to northern and central in FY24.
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In FY25, DJJ redefined regional boundaries (from 5 to 6). EBA became the sole Regional Service Coordination (RSC) agency to improve statewide effectiveness.
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Delivered centralized processes that increased access and availability of services for court-involved youth.
Building a High-Quality Provider Network
A comprehensive, growing network of trusted service providers statewide.
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Contracted with 205 provider agencies over the life of the project.
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69 additional applicants pending for FY26 to meet growing service needs.
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Purchased services from 95% (194) of contracted providers—ensuring high engagement and strong availability.
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Provided continuous quality oversight, training, fidelity monitoring, and technical assistance to maintain service excellence.
Searchable Statewide Service Directory
Easy access to information for court staff, judges, and families.
EBA created and maintained a complete and up-to-date online directory, including:
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Interactive provider map
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Search by provider, service type, jurisdiction, and languages offered
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Centralized, consistent information to support timely referrals
Centralized Processes That Drive Efficiency
Streamlined workflows for referrals, authorization, billing, and reporting.
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13,000 referrals processed for nearly 7,000 unique youth
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Standardized service names and descriptions for consistency across all regions
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Developed unified forms: referral forms, service authorizations, billing templates, and monthly reporting tools
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Consistent provider reporting improved court decision-making and program evaluation
Aligned With System-Wide Goals
EBA worked closely with DJJ to ensure:
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All services supported state goals, values, and initiatives
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Infrastructure remained coordinated, research-informed, and accessible statewide
Consistent Access & Long-Term Community Impact
A coordinated juvenile justice system focused on community integration and youth success.
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Youth across the Commonwealth gained access to high-quality, locally delivered services.
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Strong coordination, performance tracking, and implementation tools strengthened the system.
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EBA produced The Communiqué, a weekly electronic newsletter sharing:
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Service capacity updates (MST, FFT, BSFT)
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Real-time availability to CSU staff
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Timely referral guidance to increase service utilization
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This model demonstrates the power of public–private partnerships to sustain meaningful, statewide reform.
Reducing Barriers to Access
Prioritizing culturally and linguistically responsive care.
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89% of youth needing services in another language were matched with providers offering care without external interpreters.
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Only 108 language translation services were needed across 925 multilingual youth referrals—a testament to provider diversity and availability.
Expanding CSOTP Capacity (2023)
Addressing statewide shortages for youth with sexualized behavior (YSB).
Due to staffing shortages, provider closures, and increasing need post-COVID, EBA:
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Coordinated and hosted a statewide 6-day CSOTP training (50 CE hours)
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Recruited, vetted, and trained providers in regions with the greatest shortages
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Split training into regional 2-day segments to minimize travel burden
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Connected participants with clinical supervisors to ensure ongoing quality
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Successfully increased the number of Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider (CSOTP) Trainees across Virginia
Transition of the RSC Model (2025)
In June 2025, Virginia DJJ announced it would adopt the full RSC model in-house, assuming responsibility for:
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Referral and utilization management
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Billing
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Clinical oversight
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Quality assurance
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Capacity building
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Professional development
EBA ensured a smooth transition by transferring data, processes, and active authorizations—without service interruptions.
The work of the RSC model continues to strengthen youth outcomes across Virginia.
The guidance and instruction of EBA has been pivotal in allowing us to grow to this independence. We sincerely appreciate all the dedication and work that EBA has put into our state, agency, youths and families over the previous ten years.
Virginia DJJ
DJJ Brings the Regional Service Coordination Model In-house to Focus on Services
115
+
Years of combined experience
20
+
Evidence-based models supported
30
+
States and counties served
Solutions EBA Provided
Needs Assessment & Program Alignment
Identify ideal evidence-based programs and determine when and where they are most needed to meet community needs effectively.
Implementation & Provider Support
Provide direct support to community-based agencies to help them successfully adopt and deliver evidence-based practices, including coaching and guidance throughout implementation.
Workforce & Provider Oversight
Monitor compliance with the EBP Hiring Manual and assist agencies in creating policies that support effective staff recruitment, training, and long-term retention.
Training & Capacity Coordination
Identify certified training partners and coordinate session schedules to ensure staff receive timely, relevant training while maintaining adequate service coverage.
Utilization & Referral Management
Manage referral processes to ensure appropriate, timely access to services, aligning client needs with the most suitable evidence-based programs.
Quality, Evaluation & Stakeholder Engagement
Collaborate with partners to track fidelity and outcomes, use dashboards and monitoring tools to evaluate performance, and keep stakeholders informed to guide ongoing improvements and sustain success.
Washington State
EBA supports Washington’s commitment to reducing incidents and impacts of gun violence among youth in its communities.
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